Crime in Knaresborough: statistics, rates and trends
1,062 crimes were recorded in Knaresborough in the 12 months to August 2026, 63.2 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and almost unchanged on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in Knaresborough at a glance
- Crime trends in Knaresborough
- Types of crime in Knaresborough
- Knaresborough compared with nearby towns
- Areas within Knaresborough
- Streets with the most crime in Knaresborough
- What happened after crimes were reported in Knaresborough
- Demographics of Knaresborough
- Questions about crime in Knaresborough
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (403), anti-social behaviour (263) and criminal damage and arson (99) made up 72% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 899th of the 1,390 towns covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lower half.
| Measure | Knaresborough | North Yorkshire | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 1,062 | 41,610 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 63.2 | 65.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +1% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 16,816 | 635,270 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in Knaresborough peaked in the year to August 2019 (1,225 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2024 (901). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it rose 4%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 1,062 | 63.2 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 1,052 | 62.6 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 901 | 53.6 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2023 | 1,039 | 61.8 | n/a |
| Year to August 2022 | 943 | 56.1 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 1,142 | 67.9 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 1,161 | 69.0 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 1,225 | 72.8 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 1,021 | 60.7 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 66 |
| July 2026 | 94 |
| June 2026 | 107 |
| May 2026 | 101 |
| April 2026 | 91 |
| March 2026 | 76 |
| February 2026 | 57 |
| January 2026 | 69 |
| December 2025 | 85 |
| November 2025 | 103 |
| October 2025 | 101 |
| September 2025 | 112 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and vehicle crime (72% below) and shoplifting (62% below) were well below it. On the year before, shoplifting rose from 45 to 54 and drugs rose from 23 to 27, while vehicle crime fell from 45 to 23 and burglary fell from 47 to 36.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 403 | 24.0 | 34.2 | +11% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 263 | 15.6 | 15.4 | -6% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 99 | 5.9 | 6.7 | +3% |
| Public order | 58 | 3.4 | 6.7 | +4% |
| Shoplifting | 54 | 3.2 | 8.5 | +20% |
| Other theft | 47 | 2.8 | 6.4 | -11% |
| Burglary | 36 | 2.1 | 3.6 | -23% |
| Drugs | 27 | 1.6 | 3.3 | +17% |
| Vehicle crime | 23 | 1.4 | 5.0 | -49% |
| Other crime | 18 | 1.1 | 2.1 | n/a |
| Possession of weapons | 12 | 0.7 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Robbery | 11 | 0.7 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 10 | 0.6 | 0.8 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 1 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
3 of the 8 nearest towns have a higher crime rate than Knaresborough; the highest is Otley (Leeds) (74.2 per 1,000) and the lowest Burley in Wharfedale (37.7).
| Town | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs Knaresborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrogate | 5,520 | 71.2 | +13% |
| Wetherby | 818 | 68.5 | +8% |
| Boston Spa | 249 | 40.6 | -36% |
| Ripon | 1,034 | 59.9 | -5% |
| Tadcaster | 411 | 54.7 | -13% |
| Otley (Leeds) | 937 | 74.2 | +17% |
| Easingwold | 339 | 57.5 | -9% |
| Burley in Wharfedale | 218 | 37.7 | -40% |
Of the 2 areas within Knaresborough, Knaresborough West had the highest crime rate (74.0 per 1,000) and Knaresborough East the lowest (53.3).
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knaresborough West | Neighbourhood | 7,998 | 592 | 74.0 |
| Knaresborough East | Neighbourhood | 8,818 | 470 | 53.3 |
The 10 locations below account for 36% of the crime recorded in Knaresborough over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “On or near” (80).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near | 80 |
| On or near Nora Avenue | 63 |
| On or near Halfpenny Close | 49 |
| On or near Bus/Coach Station | 38 |
| On or near Holly Blue Close | 36 |
| On or near Shopping Area | 30 |
| On or near Castlegate | 25 |
| On or near Parking Area | 24 |
| On or near Cheapside | 20 |
| On or near Stead'S Yard | 19 |
Of the 799 crimes in Knaresborough with a recorded outcome, 20% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 4.5% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 263 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 400 | 50.1% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 159 | 19.9% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 82 | 10.3% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 40 | 5.0% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 36 | 4.5% | 5.2% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 28 | 3.5% | 0.5% |
| Court result unavailable | 17 | 2.1% | 2.5% |
| Local resolution | 17 | 2.1% | 3.1% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 9 | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 5 | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| Offender given a caution | 4 | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 2 | 0.3% | 0.3% |
Knaresborough has an estimated population of 16,816 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has more retired residents (31%, against 22%), an older population (26%, against 19%) and less social housing (10%, against 17%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up Knaresborough average decile 8.2 (1 = most deprived), less deprived than average.
| Measure | Knaresborough | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 16.5% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 26.4% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 56.7% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 30.7% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.9% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 38.4% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 14.5% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 17.0% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 76.1% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 10.3% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 13.4% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 8.2 | 5.5 (England) |
Is Knaresborough a safe place to live?
Knaresborough recorded 63.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 899th of the 1,390 towns on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in Knaresborough?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 403 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (263).
Is crime in Knaresborough going up or down?
Recorded crime in Knaresborough was almost unchanged on the year before: 1,062 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 1,052 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of Knaresborough?
About 16,816 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 26% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers Knaresborough?
Knaresborough is policed by North Yorkshire.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.